Over 100,000 defiant protesters occupied Cairo's Tahrir Square on Tuesday to demand the cancellation of President Mohamed Morsi's controversial Thursday decree. Egypt’s ruling Islamists, however, showed no sign of backing down, suggesting that continued political deadlock is inevitable.

Facing his most serious domestic test since assuming power on 30 June, Morsi finds himself embroiled in a battle – with leftists, liberals, socialists, and several other influential political sectors – after issuing a decree that would shield his decisions from legal challenge until a new parliament is elected.

His decree also protects the Islamist-dominated Constituent Assembly (tasked with drafting the country's first post-revolution constitution) and the Shura Council (the upper house of Egypt's parliament) from dissolution. It also relieved Egyptian Prosecutor-General Abdel-Meguid Mahmoud of his duties, bringing in Judge Talaat Abdullah as Mahmoud's replacement.

In rallies that remained largely peaceful, thousands took to the streets in Cairo, Alexandria, Assiut, Tanta, Mahalla, Mansoura, Luxor, Suez and Port Said, in scenes reminiscent of last year's 18-day uprising that unseated autocratic leader Hosni Mubarak.

The Nile Delta city of Mahalla, however, witnessed clashes between Morsi's supporters and opponents in front of the office of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP).

"If the decree isn't undone, we will demand that Morsi himself leave. Then we can have new presidential elections," Khaled Metwali, a member of the leftist Democratic Revolutionary Coalition, told Ahram Online.

"We plan to remain in the square until Morsi backtracks on his constitutional decree," Metwali added.

Withstanding pressure

Morsi, backed by Islamist parties and groups, has so far withstood immense pressure to reverse his decision, which has prompted opponents to brand him Egypt's "new Pharaoh."

He has also incurred the wrath of Egypt's judges, many of whom vowed to challenge his decree by calling strikes. Many journalists and lawyers were similarly infuriated by the president's latest move, which they believe poses a threat to democracy.

Thousands of lawyers marched from their syndicate to Tahrir Square, the cradle of last year's revolt, chanting "The people want the fall of the regime" – a slogan frequently heard during Mubarak's final days in power.

The Brotherhood, from which Morsi hails, launched an attack on Morsi's opponents, accusing them of "not caring about the country's national interests."

"On January 25, united Egyptians [Islamists, liberals and leftists] revolted against autocracy, supported by millions across the country. Today is politics," the Islamist group declared on Twitter.

"When ordinary Egyptians across the nation see pro-Mubarak [elements] protesting in Tahrir along with Islamists' rivals, they know this isn't January 25," the group added. "The opposition thinks the significance of today is of Tahrir protestors; they should brace for millions in support of the elected president.”

The Brotherhood had initially planned to hold parallel demonstrations on Tuesday, but backtracked at the last minute to avoid potential clashes with its political rivals.

Morsi’s decree has nevertheless sparked violence in several governorates, which have left three dead so far.

The president's supporters argue that the decree is necessary to tackle deep-rooted judicial corruption; opponents say it will only pave the way for an Islamist dictatorship.

According to Al-Ahram's Arabic-language news website, the Brotherhood’s authoritative Guidance Bureau is mulling measures to appease protesters, but the group has so far refrained from making any public statements to this effect.

A meeting on Monday between Morsi and Egypt's Supreme Judicial Council, the state's highest judicial authority, failed to bear fruit.

Several of the president's advisers, meanwhile, have resigned over the issue, ratcheting up even more pressure on the president who at one time had been jailed by Mubarak.

It remains to be seen whether Morsi and the Brotherhood will be able to contain the outpouring of public anger, especially among the young people who were on the frontlines in the battle to topple Mubarak.

Back to Tahrir

Many of the protesters camping out in the flashpoint square compared Morsi to his autocratic predecessor, with some going so far as to demand he step down only five months after becoming Egypt's first-ever freely elected head of state.

"It's not my first time in Tahrir Square. I'm here to stand against the constitutional declaration and the 'Brotherhoodisation' of Egypt," Asmaa Salem, 40, a member of the Popular Current, told Ahram Online. "Either Morsi cancels the declaration, or we'll topple him like we did Mubarak."

Standing by protesters, several well-known politicians have established a new 'National Salvation Front' – including Nobel Prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei and former presidential candidates Amr Moussa and Hamdeen Sabbahi – to oppose Morsi's divisive decree.

Protesters are planning to hold another million-man march on Friday, in hopes of exposing Morsi's and the Brotherhood's growing political isolation.

Ahram Online welcomes readers' comments on all issues covered by the site, along with any criticisms and/or corrections. Readers are asked to limit their feedback to a maximum of 1000 characters (roughly 50 words). All comments/criticisms will, however, be subject to the following code

We will not publish comments which contain rude or abusive language, libelous statements,
slander and personal attacks against any person/s.

We will not publish comments which contain racist remarks or any kind of racial
or religious incitement against any group of people, in Egypt or outside it.

We welcome criticism of our reports and articles but we will not publish personal
attacks, slander or fabrications directed against our reporters and contributing
writers.

We reserve the right to correct, when at all possible, obvious errors in spelling
and grammar. However, due to time and staffing constraints such corrections will
not be made across the board or on a regular basis.

Please Wait

5

mumby

28-11-2012 04:35pm

0-

1+

Be realistic

Harsh demonstration is alright in revolution time because it aim to topple dictatorship.When dictatorship gone people should go to electoral ballot boxes to choose leadership,which find the way to manage country.Every group should stress to build Egypt, respect democracy,build discipline and so on. Harsh demontrasion could make riot, unstable the country.No ending strike,thuggery demonstration,no ending provocation is the way of leftist and the gang to topple elected leadership.I hope people of Egypt will realize soon who are behind this demonstration.

Email

Name

Comment's Title

Comment

Please Wait

4

Hasan

28-11-2012 09:31am

0-

1+

Is it democracy....?

100,000 protesters of more than 40 parties groups out of 80 million egyptions ard demanding the persident to withdraw the presidential decree that protects the dissoluion of the electected parliment and constitution assembly and replace the procsecutor general.The groups and leaders who are protesting against the decree are those who lost the elections both the presidential and lower and upper house elections.Why they are so annoyed with decree ? reason is very clear...if constituent assembly statys and complete the constitution election will be followed and they know they never come through elections as they dont have any agenda or vision.They only want create chios to de-stabalize the country.If Morsi roll back the decree than what will happen..? Constituent assembly and upper house will be disolved,old PG will be back in his place and these losers will again crying for removal of PG,fair trails and justice to the victoms of the revelution,forming of the consituent assembly...

Email

Name

Comment's Title

Comment

Please Wait

3

Zack

28-11-2012 08:02am

0-

0+

President Morsi: Stick to your guns. You are doing right, a 100%

"Field Marshal" Dhahi Khilfan of Dubai gave away the secret of the plot against you and against Egypt a few weeks ago. This is a criminal plot by all the sore losers of the elections 6 months ago (Leftists, Socialists, Comunists, Mubarak's folools, and strangely Nasserites). The law and common sense are your side, and so is the support of millions in Egypt and across the Arab world. Egypt can not stand on its feet with Mubarak's crooks entrenched throughout the whole so-called Judicial System. You need to clean the treacherous toxic garbage in the "Judicial System" first, in order for Egypt to start functioning properly. Do not back down Mr President. Your path is the right path fora better stronger Egypt

Email

Name

Comment's Title

Comment

Please Wait

2

Basem

28-11-2012 02:15am

8-

5+

Where were you upon general Tantawi declaration in June

We did not hear your voices or see your millions or complaint about dictatorship upon declaration in June by general Tantawi .Are we in different country?You were happy and satisfied and silent that general Tantawi will share power with Morsi that you could not do it. your real faces are very clear
?

Email

Name

Comment's Title

Comment

Please Wait

1

Modern_Humaniora

27-11-2012 11:06pm

11-

9+

Mass hysteria and extremely bad timing!

This is nothing but mass hysteria conducted by irresponsible politicians in Egypt and abroad. Using concepts such as "Holocaust" proves that. That is relativization beyond comprehension. It's shocking! They [the opposition] now use a corrupt legal system as their main argument, one of the main causes that triggered the revolution, and yet in the same breath claim that they are pro-revolutionary. This is an impossible contradiction. Therefore this demonstration has no meaning. If, and only if, the new constitution should proves being dictatorial I will understand if the opposition take the streets again. But NOT before the constitution is set! This so called opposition is driven by envy and the same old ghost! What we now are witnessing is nothing but mass hysteria and extraordinary political immaturity - the opposition is showing us extremely bad timing and they are in fact putting the entire revolution and Egypt at risk! Unbelievable.